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Arbetet undersökte möjligheterna att väva artificiella muskler och ämnade till att vara en förstudie till fortsatt forskning inom området. Rörelsehinder begränsar många människor i sin vardag och något som ca 15 % av jordens befolkning lever med. Dagens kommersiella rörelse-assisterande hjälpmedel är oftast bestående av hårda och stela material och möjligheten att utveckla mjuka och mer följsamma hjälpmedel utforskas ständigt. Syftet var att undersöka om en vävd artificiell muskel kunde efterlikna en däggdjurs muskel utifrån kraft och kontraktions egenskaper och vad textil kunde bidra med till konstruktionen. McKibben aktuatorer integrerades parallellt i en väv för att skapa en konstruktion. En litteraturstudie utfördes på ämnet muskler, aktuatorer och textil för att kunna dra rimliga slutsatser och analyser i arbetet. För att utvärdera egenskaperna hos en vävd muskel har olika kombinationer av vävda konstruktioner med integrerade McKibben aktuatorer undersökts. Konstruktionernas mått har varierats mellan hur hårt och hur tätt McKibben aktuatorerna integrerats i väven för att söka efter de optimala parametrarna. I rapporten kommer de att benämnas som kanaler och zoner. Sammanlagt har 10 olika vävprover skapats och testas. Testmetoderna som används i arbetet är framtagna specifikt för detta arbete och inga standardiserade metoder har använts. Testmetoderna som utformades är baserade på tidigare forskningsförsök samt kunskap om däggdjurs muskelns förmåga att kontrahera och utöva kraft. Kontraktionen testades genom att undersöka hur mycket den vävda muskeln drog ihop sig och styrkan mättes i kraft med hjälp av en dynamometer. Resultaten som gavs från testerna var att kanaler som begränsar McKibben aktuatorernas förmåga att expandera begränsar dess förmåga att kontrahera men att zonerna inte gav någon större påverkan på vare sig kraft eller kontraktion. Från på de vävda proverna som visade bäst resultat i testerna skapades en optimal artificiell muskel och en maskinvävd artificiell muskel. För den optimala artificiella muskeln integrerades fler McKibben aktuatorer. I syfte att undersöka ifall fler aktuatorer i konstruktionen visade på ökad kraft. Additivitet i kraft påvisades och textil bidrog till maximal kraft kunde uppnås. Den maskinvävda artificiella muskeln producerades för att undersöka potentiella produktionsmöjligheter och därmed skulle kunna användas till en tänkbar applikation. Arbetets resulterade i en optimerad vävd artificiell muskel och påvisar möjligheter för att skala upp en produktion av vävda artificiella muskler. Sammanfattningsvis kunde en vävd artificiell muskel påvisa goda kontraktions och kraftegenskaper likt en däggdjurs muskel. / The work investigated the possibilities of weaving artificial muscles and is intended to inspire further studies in the field. Disability affects many people in their daily lives and about 15 % of the world's population lives with some form of disability. Today´s commensally used rehabilitation and mobility assistance applications are usually made of hard and stiff materials. But the development of soft and more bodyc ompliant aids are constantly being explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether woven artificial muscles could show similarities with mammal's muscles based on their ability to exert force and contract. McKibben actuators were integrated in a woven structure creating a combined construction. The textile aspect was further investigated to examine if it could contribute to the construction by increasing these properties. A literature study was developed to increase the knowledge of subjects such as muscles, actuators and textiles. To investigate the properties of a woven muscle, various combinations of woven structures with integrated McKibben actuators have been created. The proportions of the woven structures have varied between how tight and how close the McKibben actuators could be integrated to the fabric. The purpose was to find the optimal parameters for the woven muscle. In the report, the parameters will be referred to as channels and zones. A total of 10 different constructions have been created and tested. The test methods used in the study were developed for this report and no established methods have been used. Test methods were designed and developed with the intention to investigate force and contraction properties for the weaved muscle based on information of mammal muscles. By measuring contraction length and force for each woven sample with integrated McKibben actuators. The results from the tests showed that a tight channel could limit the McKibben actuators' ability to contract, however the zones did not impact the contraction ability or force extraction. Based on the results the most optimal parameters were discovered and an optimal artificial muscle was created. For the optimal artificial muscle, more McKibben actuators were integrated. In order to investigate if the force could be increased. Additivity in force was found and the textile structure contributed to increased force. A machine-woven artificial muscle was produced to investigate potential production possibilities. Whether these woven artificial muscles could be used in further applications were discussed. The study resulted in an optimized woven artificial muscle. Industrial production opportunities were demonstrated by producing an artificial muscle in an industrial weaving machine. In conclusion, the weaved artificial muscle showed good contraction and force abilities similar to a mammalian muscle.

Animals exploit soft structures to move smoothly and effectively in complex natural environments. These capabilities have inspired robotic engineers to incorporate soft actuating technologies into their designs. Developing soft muscle-like actuation technology is one of the grand challenges in the creation of soft-body robots that can move, deform their body, and modulate body stiffness. This paper presents the development of smart pneumatic McKibben muscles woven and reinforced by using conductive insulated wires to equip the muscles with an inherent sensing capability, in which the deformation of the muscles can be effectively measured by calculating the change of wire inductance. Sensing performance of a variety of weaving angles is investigated. The ideal McKibben muscle models are used for analysing muscle performance and sensing accuracy. The experimental results show that the contraction of the muscles is proportional to the measured change of inductance. This relationship is applied to a PID control system to control the contraction of smart muscles in simulation, and good control performance is achieved. The creation of smart muscles with an inherent sensing capability and a good controllability is promising for operation of future soft robots.

Formål: Dette studie har til formål at kortlægge prævalensen af muskel skelet besvær i danske bandagistvirksomheder. Et spørgeskema er udsendt til bandagister i Danmark for at afdække omfanget af MSB.      Metode: Selvadministreret spørgeskema er udsendt til medlemmer af foreningen Danske Bandagister. Spørgeskemaet er baseret på hypoteser omhandlende associationer mellem risikofaktorer som er identificeret gennem litteratursøgning.   Resultat: 19 spørgeskemabesvarelser indgår i statistisk analyse (RR=25%). Undersøgelsen påviser en prævalens på 79% af MSB for de responderende medlemmer af foreningen Danske Bandagister (N=19). Udvalgte risikofaktorer er testet for association med forekomsten af selvrapporteret MSB. Statistisk analyse er foretaget med Fichers’ Exact test, med signifikansniveau 5% (p=0,05). Køn er den eneste risikofaktor som signifikant associeres med forekomsten af MSB (p=0,033) Det er kvinder som i vores undersøgelse primært rapporterer MSB.   Konklusion: Undersøgelsen viser en høj prævalens blandt de responderende medlemmer af Danske Bandagister. Dette er dog ikke nok til at kunne generalisere i populationen og der opfordres til yderligere studier for at bekræfte denne undersøgelses fund. / Objectives: The aim of the project was to investigate the occurrence of musculoskeletal problems among P&O’s in Denmark and a questionnaire was made and sent out. Methods: Members of the union “Danske Bandagister” was asked to fill out a self-administrated questionnaire. The questionnaire was constructed based on hypothesis about associations between risk factors identified in literature review.     Results: The statistical analysis consisted of 19 responses (RR=25%). The study shows a prevalence of 79% of musculoskeletal problems. Relevant risk factors were tested to be associated with the occurrence of the self-reported musculoskeletal problems. Tests was made with Fichers’ Exact test and a significance level at 5% (p=0.05). Only Gender proved a significant association with the occurrence of musculoskeletal problems (p=0,033). In this project women has the highest occurrence of self-reported musculoskeletal problems.   Conclusion: The study shows a high prevalence of musculoskeletal problems among the responding Danish P&Os. It is not possible to do any generalization in the population. However; to confirm the result of the study, we encourage to examine the subject more.

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Im Menschen regulieren extrazelluläre Metalloproteasen eine Vielzahl von physiologischen Prozessen, wobei deren exakte Funktionen bei der Ausbildung humaner Krankheiten wie beispielsweise Krebs, der Alzheimerschen Krankheit oder Störungen des Herz-Kreislaufsystems vielfach noch unbekannt sind. Insbesondere die Proteinfamilie der Neprilysine wird seit einigen Jahren vermehrt in Bezug auf eine mögliche Anwendung als Therapeutikum gegen die genannten Erkrankungen hin diskutiert. In dieser Arbeit wurde erstmals die M13-Metalloprotease Neprilysin 4 (Nep4) aus dem Modellorganismus Drosophila melanogaster charakterisiert. Zusätzlich wurde zu Beginn dieser Arbeit das ADAM (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease)-Protein Meltrin analysiert. Innerhalb der Neprilysin-Familie kommt Nep4 eine Sonderrolle zu, da es im Gegensatz zu den meisten Neprilysinen nicht ausschließlich als membrangebundenes Protein, sondern isoformspezifisch auch in löslicher Form exprimiert wird. In diesem Zusammenhang deuten RT-PCRs, in situ Hybridisierungen und Antikörperfärbungen auf ein breites Funktionsspektrum beider Isoformen hin, das in den zahlreichen Geweben, in denen Nep4 exprimiert wird, hauptsächlich der Etablierung und Aufrechterhaltung der Homöostase verschiedener bioaktiver Peptide dienen dürfte. Über den gesamten Lebenszyklus der Fruchtfliege kann Nep4 in Gliazellen des ZNS und in den männlichen Geschlechtszellen nachgewiesen werden, während es im Verlauf der Embryogenese zusätzlich in Herz- und Muskelzellen exprimiert wird. Die regulatorischen Elemente zur Steuerung der neuronalen (ZNS) und mesodermalen (Herz und Muskel) Nep4 Expression konnten in dieser Arbeit identifiziert und für die Erzeugung transgener Fliegenlinien genutzt werden. Mittels semi-quantitativer PCR und durch Untersuchungen von Fliegen, die GFP unter der Kontrolle des mesodermalen Enhancers exprimieren, wurde die endogene Expression von Nep4 im Muskel von Larven des dritten Stadiums nachgewiesen. Da alle nachfolgenden Stadien Reporteraktivität im Herzen und Muskel zeigen, wird die Peptidase vermutlich durchgängig in diesen Geweben benötigt. Die katalytische Aktivität von Nep4 konnte anhand der Peptide Substanz P und Angiotensin I demonstriert werden. Dabei ist die Enzymaktivität, wie für die Neutralen Endopeptidasen (Nep) typisch, von einem neutralen pH-Wert abhängig und wird durch bekannte Inhibitoren der humanen Neprilysine, Nep und Nep2 reduziert. Bei einer künstlich erhöhten Expression von Nep4 in der Muskulatur der Fruchtfliege ist, entgegen der Erwartung, nicht die katalytische Aktivität, sondern ausschließlich die nicht katalytische, intrazelluläre Domäne ursächlich für eine nekrotische Gewebedegeneration. Um eine mögliche Funktion der intrazellulären Domäne des Nep4 Proteins im Muskel genauer zu erforschen, wurden Proteininteraktionsstudien durchgeführt, erste Interaktionspartner identifiziert und deren Interaktion auf Proteinebene nachgewiesen.

The morphology of the more superficial tissue of the human tongue was investigated and discussed with the clinical appearance of fissures. Three regions could be distinguished according to the presence and shape of the aponeurosis linguae: the central region showed a thick aponeurotic plate with myotendinous muscle fibre insertions. The lateral region showed still an aponeurosis linguae but of reduced thickness and without muscle insertions. The edge-wise and lower region showed no aponeurosis linguae but a fatty subcutis and myocutaneous muscle fibre insertions lacking specific molecules of myotendinous junctions. This system of partially developed exoskeleton seems to underlie but not to be involved in tongue fissures, which are more superficial within the epidermis and dermis.

Abstract Background: Due to its clinical importance and due to a suggestion regarding the afferent innervation, the microscopic appearance of the frontalis muscle was investigated. Methods: From seven human cadavers, serial sections of the frontalis muscle were studied using light microscopy. Immunhistochemistry was performed using antibodies against collagen XXII and neurofilament. Results: The macroscopic appearance of the muscle was in accordance with the literature. At both insertion sides, the muscle fiber endings expressed collagen XXII, a marker for myotendinous junctions, although no tendons were present at the origin side. Neuromuscular junctions were seen in the middle part of the muscle belly (insertion of the nerve fibers of the facialis nerve) and in the cranial part toward the galea aponeurotica (possible afferent fibers?). Conclusions: This study summarizes the microscopic appearance of the frontalis muscle. It is a first example that collagen XXII can be expressed even without tendon formation. It confirms the absence of corpuscular afferent neuronal structures within the muscle.

Background: To ensure adequate function after orthopedic tumor reconstruction, it is important to reattach the remaining soft tissue to the implant. This study aimed at obtaining mechanical properties of textile muscle-implant and muscle-bone connections in a preliminary test. Methods: Two groups of soft-tissue attachment were mechanically tested and compared: Native bone-muscle samples obtained from human femora and muscles attached to a prosthetic implant by means of Trevira® attachment tubes. Additionally, muscle samples were tested with muscle fibers aligned parallel and perpendicular to the tension load. A uniaxial load was exerted upon all samples. Results: Failure loads of 26.7 ± 8.8 N were observed for the native bone-muscle group and of 18.1 ± 9.9 N for the Trevira® group. Elongations of 94.8 ± 36.2 % were observed for the native bone-muscle group and 79.3 ± 51.8 % for the Trevira® group. The location of failure was mainly observed in the central area of the muscle fibers. Muscle fibers with parallel fiber orientation (47.6 ± 11.5 N) yielded higher tensile strength than those with perpendicular fiber orientation (14.8 ± 4.1 N). Conclusions: Our experiments showed that higher forces were transmitted in the origin and insertion areas than in areas of flat soft tissue reconstruction using attachment tubes. The data indicate that the tested material allows reattaching muscles, but without reinforcing the insertion site. Therefore, attachment tubes with region-dependent and potentially anisotropic material behavior might be advantageous to optimize muscle-bone load transmission after surgery, which may allow lower complication rates and shorter physical recovery.

No description available.